


Working Relationships

by Cielestine_de_Winter



Category: X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik is Crushing Harder than a 12-year Old Girl, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-29 17:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3905443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cielestine_de_Winter/pseuds/Cielestine_de_Winter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric doesn't work well with others.  At least not until he meets Charles Xavier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Working Relationships

**Author's Note:**

> Swenson is the man in black played by Oliver Platt. This is a bit of an experiment, so thank you for reading!

                When Erik walked into the dining room, Raven, Hank and Darwin got quiet and looked at him nervously. Erik didn’t let his smile show on his face. The younger mutants had a healthy fear of him, something that he actively encouraged. “Where is Charles?” he asked briskly.

                “Um… He said he had some paperwork he had to finish up,” Hank said after a minute.

                Erik nodded and glanced at the gourmet meal the CIA had provided them. Charles had missed lunch because of a meeting with MacTaggert and Swenson. Charles had worked with Hank and Cerebro for most of the afternoon, so Erik knew that he hadn’t eaten. Erik suddenly couldn’t remember the last time he saw Charles eat something. Not that he was keeping track of the other man.

                Instead of taking his normal seat at the end of the table, Erik turned to leave the room.

                “Aren’t you joining us?” Raven asked.

                Erik threw her a glare as he walked out. He could hear them whispering amongst each other, but chose to ignore them. Erik listened to his own measured steps as he crossed the compound until he came to his and Charles’s wing on the other side. Their suites were far away from the others. He hadn’t planned it that way, but he was thankful that he didn’t have to put up with the noise and personalities of the children. He had no idea why Charles had chosen such remote accommodations, but he was glad of it.

                Erik was a killer. He committed atrocities without a thought and cared little for anything aside from his mission to find Shaw. His participation in Charles’s initiative was more out of curiosity than anything else. At least that was the lie he told himself as he made his way to Charles’s suite.

                When Erik arrived at Charles’s door he took a breath. He didn’t know the other man well and he wasn’t really sure why his absence at meals bothered him as much as it did, but he knocked anyways.

                “Come in,” came Charles’s polite voice.

                Erik didn’t bother touching the handle and opened the door with just a thought. He walked in and took in the other man’s suite. It was laid out much like his, a large open room with a few uncomfortable chairs around a coffee table on one end and a large desk and credenza on the other. Erik knew his bedroom and bath were through the doorway on his left, the mirrored set up of his. Unlike his suite, the desk was covered in paper, and pages upon pages filled with Charles’s small but elegant handwriting. Charles was looking up from his desk, his hand holding his place on a thick report that was open in front of him.

                “Hello, my friend,” Charles smiled. “What can I help you with?”

                “You weren’t at dinner,” Erik stated, taking in the smudges underneath Charles’s eyes and the pallor of his cheeks. “You weren’t at lunch either.”

                Charles tilted his head with a slightly confused look on his face. “I have many reports that have to be reviewed,” he said briskly. “I thought I would try…”

                “You need to eat.”

                “I will, when I am…”

                “Now, Charles.” Erik insisted. He was a little surprised at how forceful he was being. He didn’t really care, did he?

                Charles sat back in his chair. “I have a few more mutants that I think would be good for our team.” he said changing the topic. He motioned for Erik to sit in the fashionable but uncomfortable chair in front of his desk as he gathered some hand written papers. Charles stood up and handed them to Erik.

                Erik frowned but sat down and started reading the pages.

                Charles’s words flowed gracefully on the page. Charles had allowed him to read his notes once before one of their recruitment trips, and Erik found that he rather enjoyed Charles’s writing. The telepath had a gift with language that was clearly expressed in the insightful profiles that Charles compiled of all of their potential team mates. Absently Erik wondered what his profile said.

                Erik read the reports carefully and put them in order of most desirable to least then looked up to Charles who had turned back to his report. “The incarcerated one,” Erik said finally.

                Charles looked up. “Alex Summers?”

                “He would be useless against Shaw, but he could help with the others. Do you disagree?”

                “No,” Charles smiled. “I thought you might want him.”

                “You should let me help you more.” Erik said suddenly.

                Charles looked surprised. “I didn’t think you would be interested in this…” he said waving over the mountain of paperwork.

                “I am not interested in interacting with the children,” Erik corrected him. “This I can help with. What are you working on?”

                “Most of this is information Swenson has compiled on Shaw and his associates. You probably know it all.” Charles shrugged. “I’m trying to get up to speed.”

                “Why not just take it from Swenson’s mind?”

                Charles laughed. “That would hardly encourage trust now would it?”

                Erik gave Charles a withering look. “Would they know if you scanned them?”

                “No, but I would,” Charles said. “I try not to read people without their permission.”

                “You did me.” Erik accused in a flat voice.

                “You were drowning,” Charles said without apology. “And you were doing the psychic equivalent of shouting.”

                “Shouting?” Erik asked raising an eyebrow.

                “Sometimes people’s thoughts are so loud they are almost deafening. I usually can block them out pretty well, but when I’m… not at my best it becomes difficult.”

                Erik looked around the metal and glass room. Unlike his apartment that was warmed with burgundy and purple rugs, pillows, and accents, Charles’s room was cold with nothing but metal grays and blacks. It was a terribly cold room that didn’t suit the other man at all. Erik realized something. “That’s why you chose this room. It’s the farthest from the others.”

                Charles laughed. “The rest of the team are very…”

                “Young.”

                “I would have said enthusiastic.”

                “No, Charles, that’s you. You have more enthusiasm than all of them combined.”

                Charles smiled and sat back in his chair. “Perhaps. But their mental voices range from shouting to very piercing shrieks.”

                “Even Raven’s?”

                “Especially Raven’s. She fancies Hank quite a bit and she’s been projecting quite loud.”

                Erik suddenly laughed. “I’m sure you’ve heard more than you’ve wanted.”

                “More than any brother should have heard,” Charles said in mock horror.

                “What of my mind?” Erik asked.

                Charles was quiet for a moment, a flush just noticeable on his cheeks. “Apart from our tempestuous meeting, I find your mind to be quite soothing to be around. You tend not to project your thoughts.”

                Erik put the papers on his lap and focused on the slight hunger he felt. He concentrated on the sight and smell of dinner and the warmth of eating with friends.

                Charles sighed. “You aren’t going to let that go, are you?”

                “You need to eat, Charles.” Erik put the papers on the corner of Charles desk and stood up. “Come. We’ll dine together.”

                Charles shut his report and followed Erik.

 

 

                The recruitment trip was successful and Alex Summers would be joining them in a few days. Erik had jokingly suggested that they drive the 10 hours to the New York penitentiary where Summers was incarcerated, but to his surprise, Charles had eagerly accepted. Charles proved to be an excellent travel companion, and the hours passed so quickly that Erik wished that their destination was a bit further away. Having all of Charles’s attention was very heady. Erik was starting to understand Raven’s discontent. It was difficult not to want to be Charles’s sole focus.

                Unfortunately as soon as Erik pulled the car up to the facility, Swenson and MacTaggart were waiting for Charles. They pulled him away making him miss lunch, then dinner. Erik had seen Charles leave the administrative offices only to be intercepted by Hank. Erik had absently hoped that Hank wasn’t pushing Charles to use Cerebro again.

                Erik read in his room until the compound quieted down for the night. He kept the door open, hoping he could hear Charles return, but when he nodded off at midnight he still hadn’t heard the other man. At around 3 in the morning, he awoke briefly when Charles gently closed his door.

                3 hours later when Erik left his room for his morning run, he noticed that Charles’s room was already empty. He pushed himself a little harder during his run in an attempt to push all thoughts from his mind, but thoughts of the other man flitted through with an alarming regularity. After running 12 miles, Erik gave up and ran back to his room and showered.

                By the time Erik arrived in the kitchen, the others were awake and moving around. Erik made his breakfast and brought it to the outside seating area where he was pretty sure he would be left alone. Just as he was finishing up, he caught sight of Charles leading Darwin away somewhere, probably to work on honing the morph’s inherent powers. Erik was tempted to follow them, but instead elected to go back to his room.

                When Charles and Hank didn’t join them for lunch, then dinner, Erik was a bit angry. Charles was stretched so thin, finding other mutants, nursing everyone’s abilities and spirits, making sure that everyone was good, that he own needs went unmet. And no one else seemed to care. Not even Raven, his beloved sister who was so besotted with Hank that she couldn’t see the lines of exhaustion on Charles’s face. It was maddening.

                Only the smallest, quietist voice in his mind admitted the truth- that everything Charles was doing, although it furthered the cause, also took the man away from him and Erik didn’t like it.

                In retaliation, Erik let himself in Charles’s room and started reading the reports that littered his overflowing desk. He was only half aware of the compound settling in for the night at around 10 as he read. Most of what Swenson had gathered on Shaw he knew. Some was completely wrong, and the rest interesting, but not useful. What was surprising was the stack of maps that were carefully placed on one corner of Charles’s desk. Just maps, but Charles’s beautiful but cryptic writing marked places with location and dates. Erik had hunted too many other people not to recognize what Charles was doing. He wasn’t just gathering mutants, he was tracking Shaw and his associates with a single mindedness that made Erik feel conflicted. The fact that the maps were in his room and not on his desk with Cerebro clearly indicated that Charles was doing it alone. Just as Erik was about to go to Cerebro and thrash Charles for being so foolish, the door he had left cracked opened and Charles walked in.

                Erik’s anger burned in his gut, but he found himself mute as he regarded the exhausted man. “Hello, Erik,” Charles said with a sincere little smile that didn’t seem the slightest bit surprised that the other man was going through his things.

                “You are using Cerebro alone,” Erik accused. “I thought that was dangerous.”

                Charles walked over to the small side bar and poured two scotches. He walked over and handed one to Erik. “I am being careful.” He shrugged. He leaned against his credenza next to Erik and took a sip of his drink. “What did you think of Swenson’s research?”

                Erik’s anger rolled in his stomach. “You would be better just to ask me.”

                Charles chuckled softly. “I didn’t think I’d be welcomed.”

                Erik put his drink down and turned his chair toward Charles. “Save us both time and just…” he touched his hand to his temple.

                “I do not want to be invasive,” Charles said dismissively. “How are the children?” he asked trying to change the topic.

                Erik reached out and took hold of Charles’s wrist. “Charles, I am giving you permission to go in and get the information you need. It will save us time.”

                Charles studied Erik for a moment. “Are you sure, my friend?” Charles’s voice was soft.

                “Do it.”

                Charles looked at him for one minute more before bringing his hand up and mentally reaching out.

                Erik had been too far gone when Charles had accessed his mind in Miami to really feel it. He was anticipating the hard pain that he felt when Emma Frost had torn into his mind before, but was pleasantly surprised at the gentle warmth that seeped into his chest. Charles’s deft touch was light and in an odd way comforting. Erik relaxed, his grip on Charles’s wrist became more of a caress as Erik rubbed his calloused thumb against the soft skin of Charles’s inner wrist.

                Erik looked up at Charles and could see the tension and exhaustion drain away. A healthy flush replaced the gray pallor of his cheeks, and his brilliant blue eyes started to shine like they had during their road trip. He could feel Charles in his mind and found that he liked it.

                _Thank you, my friend._ Charles projected as he started to withdraw.

                Erik squeezed his wrist again, and Charles’s eyes focused on his. _Charles,_ Erik projected.

                _Don’t shout, I can hear you just fine,_ Charles thought back, his playfulness coloring his words with emotion.

                Erik was overwhelmed by the feeling of acceptance and caring that radiated from the other man, all targeted at him. Erik felt tears course down his face as he basked in Charles’s high regard. _Is this how you think of me?_

                Erik could feel Charles’s good humor laced with embarrassment. _How can I not?_  Charles thought back fondly as his lifted his free hand and wiped away Erik’s tears. Charles pulled his mind away with a smile.

                It took Erik a few moments to pull himself together, but when he looked at Charles he realized that the other man looked more relaxed than he had in days. The lines of tension had disappeared and Charles’s smile was free and easy. Charles stepped away from Erik and sat in one of the uncomfortable chairs in front of his desk.

                Erik frowned as the physical distance between them. “You look better,” he said, still thinking through his realization.

                Charles flushed and looked away. “There are so many minds around me that it’s… comforting to have something to anchor to.”

                “Would it help you in your work?” Erik asked.

                “I can’t ask…”

                “You aren’t asking. I’m offering.”

                “Erik…”

                “Charles.” Erik stood up and walked over to Charles. He knelt by Charles and put his hands on his knees. “I am not one of the children. Let me help you.”

                “They have me going through old files. Closed cases, that sort of thing. They want me to tell them that they were all perpetrated by mutants, but that just isn’t the case in most of them. I’m a geneticist, not a detective.” Charles said softly.

                Erik stood up and held out his hand. “Come on.”

                Charles looked up at him.

                “You’ve barely eaten today. Let’s get some food in you and you can tell me all about these cases. Then I’m going to put you to bed and make you stay there until noon tomorrow morning.”

                “The children…” Charles complained standing up.

                “I will take care of them. You need to rest.” Erik said taking Charles by the hand. “And no more using Cerebro on your own. Take me with you. Let me anchor you.”

                Charles smiled gently at Erik and followed him to the kitchen.


End file.
